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  • same old questions about studying in china...

    Hi everyone,
    I apologize in advance because it seems like you have probably answered all of these questions a million times, but I figured one more time couldn't hurt. I am planning on taking a year off before grad school and I wanted to spend a few months in China studying martial arts (planning on early September through early December). This is something I have wanted to do for a long time, I am not looking for a vacation. I am expecting to train harder than I ever have before, and that is what I want. So I need some advice on where is a good place to train.

    Like everybody else, I was really excited when I first found the Siping City Martial Arts Academy's website, but after reading about it on this site and others, I have realized maybe it is not the best place to go. So yeah, I am looking for suggestions. I feel like a sucker getting lured in by all these fancy websites, but I thought maybe the Wudang Taoist Kung fu Academy looked pretty awesome too, but what do I know?

    One thing is that this will be my first trip to China, and my first time being out of the country by myself. My Mandarin is pretty weak also, so I am a little nervous about going over there and hunting for a school, I would feel a lot more comfortable if I knew where I was going before I got on the plane.

    Obviously, the quality of the training is most important to me. This may sound stupid but the area is also important to me. I get the feeling that a lot of these schools located in the mountains or in temples are considered touristy or gimmicky, but I would really like to study in that kind of setting (mountainous not touristy). I am not concerned about fancy hotel-like living arrangements, maybe I will regret that but whatever. The two most important things to me are the training and the setting.

    Ok. I would appreciate any suggestions. Like I said I know everyone asks these same questions and it makes me feel naive, but now that I am actually trying to plan where I am going I want to get things right. Thanks again.

  • #2
    one more thing,

    last night i thought these were both the same school. now i realize that there are probably a bunch of schools at wudang, similar to dengfeng right? but these were to two schools i could find anything about at wudang



    Official Site for the Wudang Daoist Traditional Kungfu Academy. Study Traditional Martial Arts in Wudangshan, China from Master Yuan Xiu Gang and his disciples. WuShu, QiGong,Sword,Quan,TaiChi,TaiJi,BaGua,XingYi


    ok anybody know anything about these schools? would i be better off in dengfeng or somewhere else entirely? thanks

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    • #3
      I don't mean to be mean, but instead of asking the million dollar question that's been asked a million times on this site, why don't you just spend some time searching around, reading more of the info on the site. I promise, all your question can be answered if you just read !!!

      I could tell you to just go to Dengfeng and study at Shi De Cheng's school. Or that if you want something more scenic you can study at the Wushuguan, although that will be touristy. Or that if you want non-touristy and scenic you can find a school in the outskirts of Dengfeng, like the Chan Wu school claims to be.

      But you should really just spend some time reading and searching the site. For example, watch the videos of the Dengfeng schools in the video section, and watch some of the forms being performed and see if that's the kind of thing your looking for, the surroundings you would be happy practicing in. That's why Doc put them there.

      Search some more and then ask the questions. However, if you search enough you probably wouldn't have many more questions to ask because they've all been asked before and lay in the many pages of this site !!!

      No Shit !

      I will say this though. If you want to learn Shaolin Gongfu in any form, go to Dengfeng. If you want to learn Wudeng Gongfu in any form (applications, wushu, or qigong) go to Wudeng.
      "Winners turn to losers, losers are forgotten..." - A Tribe Called Quest

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      • #4
        i appreciate the response, and really it is what i expected. i have been reading and looking around a lot, on this forum and on other sites. but it can be kind of difficult with all of the mixed reviews and phony advertisement posts and all. just figured i would ask.

        i guess you answered what my question should have been, if there were scenic non-touristy schools around dengfeng. i guess i will start reading about Chan Wu and looking for other schools like that. thanks for your help.

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        • #5
          At this point, I only recommend Decheng's school and the wushu guan. Main reasons for that are, these Chinese wushu schools open and close like the legs on a Thai whore. Also, most of these schools are oriented for domestic Chinese students, and not foreigners. The schools that have gotten themselves on the web range from fairly decent to piss poor money takers. I can't keep track of them all, nor do I have experience with all of them. I know a good deal of them in the Dengfeng area; remember, there are thousands of these places all over China. You'll go mad sifting through some of them, trying to make a decision based upon what you see on the internet sites.

          (Deyang's school is open, he's an honorable and reliable man (especially if you tell him I sent you), but his school is in a run down horrible filthy factory. It has had problems for a while, closed temporarily because of his illness. He's better now, but the school is still getting back on its feet. The school that Heng Jun runs at Da Fa Wen Si is very nice, and he has a lot of experience teaching foreigners. Besides, I'm friends with the head coach there, and he's an awesome guy. Have known him for ten years now. You wouldn't go wrong there).

          I send people to Decheng and the wushu guan because I know what they teach, I know what the accomodations are like, and I know that you'll be treated fairly. I have never had a problem with anyone I've sent to Decheng's school, and mind you, over the years, I have sent a great deal of people. If I had a dollar....

          The best thing to do, is set up something via someone that has been there, and who knows what's going on. Set up a two week thing. While there, walk around Dengfeng, see what else is available, and see if anything else strikes your fancy. What you see on the internet is NOT necessarily what you end up with; I'm amazed at how nice some of the photos are on these sites, and how you can't find those areas when you visit the real thing.

          And remember something else, which, you may have picked up browsing through other areas of this forum. The mainland Chinese are budding capitalists, interested mainly in survival and making money. Building long term relationships with customers is not a concept that most of them understand. I've heard many horror stories of people being taken advantage of, some quite badly. Basically, many of these "businessmen" don't give a shit about you. And to think, in China, the mainland Chinese think the Henan people are money hungry bastards.... Think about it. These wushu schools are becoming obvious to the Chinese, that they are mechanisms to attract foreigners and their money.

          You have to be careful.
          Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

          "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

          (more comments in my User Profile)
          russbo.com


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          • #6
            Yeah, I was a little suprised and scared when I was told by a teacher here in Shandong that Henan people are money hungry and not to be trusted, and this was in reference to other Chinese. Unfortunately the only people I got ripped off by were the monks at the Wushu guan and the Temple itself. Oh sorry, did I say "monks"? What I meant was guys with their heads shaved, wearing monk robes, saying "Amituofo" so they can convince you of their holiness in an atempt to make you feel guilty for not paying the 100+ yuan for a single stick of incense. Even the people in Shaolin Village were more honest in their dealings than those I met inside the famed temple walls.
            Errrrrrrrr.............

            I'm still a bit bitter about that.

            As far as making a buck of the people you recomend to Dengfeng Doc, maybe you should! If it's not only this site that helps them, but you personal intervention, then I'm sure not a single one of these people would have any reservations about throwing a buck or two your way. I know I wouldn't!
            "Winners turn to losers, losers are forgotten..." - A Tribe Called Quest

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            • #7
              I don't ask for money, though, with my getting requests for help on now, a weekly basis, and, having to send my people to pick these students up at the airport, get them to Decheng's, phone calls, and "salaries" I pay, it does cost me money and time. In fact, lately, I've been getting the "I want to go to Shaolin" emails on a daily basis now. I really don't know what's going on.

              My travel agent is making money, lol. And, hopefully, these students are throwing some cash to my associates in Beijing who work behind the scenes arranging things, and, who get these students taken care of. Some donate money to them, some don't.

              But, I have no current plans of turning this into a business. Don't expect to in the future. It's not in my nature.

              Appreciate the thoughts.
              Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

              "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

              (more comments in my User Profile)
              russbo.com


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